At RNC meeting, no one is sweating Trump-Putin summit

21 July 2018

Trump said he could think of no reason why Russian Federation interfered in the 2016 election and called the special counsel investigation a "disaster". Shortly after the summit, Putin revealed that "new ideas" were discussed about the conflict, and the referendum appears to be one of them, which could ostensibly push the clash - now in its fifth year - toward resolution. Trump didn't realize he would face such challenges, apparently, and wanted to know why Lemire had been called on instead of a reporter who would ask him an easier question. Mr. Trump may like doing things his way, eschewing advice and precedent like no president before, but he never likes being alone.

The development followed growing criticisms over the Trump's relationship with Putin following their summit in Helsinki on Monday.

The president was asked what he said to Putin, and he replied that he was "very strong on the fact that we can't have meddling".

The reviews he received were muted - Mr. Trump rarely takes kindly to direct confrontation - but it was a taste of what awaited him on his return in Washington, where stalwart allies like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich were speaking out.

It has been one of the most controversial weeks of Donald Trump's presidency but has it damaged his popularity? Told that Sanders had since clarified, she responded: "There's a walk-back of the walk-back of the walk-back of the walk-back?"

In an interview with CBS Evening News, which was released in part on Wednesday evening, Trump was asked whether he holds Putin personally responsible for the meddling in 2016. This backlash inspired an unbelievable (and rare) Trump walkback: He'd meant to say that he saw no reason why Russian Federation "wouldn't" have been involved in...

The next day brought a fresh challenge.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a joint news conference with Russia's President Vladimir Putin after their meeting in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018.

Sanders later said his comment was misinterpreted. He groused about his staff for not better managing the fallout.

Sens. Jeff Flake, Arizona Republican, and Chris Coons, Delaware Democrat, said they will not be deterred after GOP leaders torpedoed their effort this week.

The White House is guarding against the prospect that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats could damage the president with a high-profile resignation after the nation's top spy chief has suffered a series of slights.

"Hopefully, President Putin will have the 12 identified Russians come to the United States to prove their innocence or guilt", White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said.

It all left White House staffers in a fresh state of resignation about their jobs.